My Wife's Dance Instructor review

The setup

The couple signed up for tango, but his wife phones in from the office, trapped again, and sends him alone. The instructor solves the problem by partnering him herself and teaching that the dance starts at the hips. By week two the wife has canceled again. Each class becomes a string of compliments: he dances like a man with no rhythm, yet never lands on her toes, and his wife is the one losing out. The episode ends with the instructor stating the obvious and offering him a private routine.

Episode 2

The private session opens with a leg wrap and an instructor who keeps asking for more height. Then the wife finally shows up to class, dazzled by how well her husband moves, and the instructor answers with a remark only he understands. Whatever happens on that floor, the wife reads it as choreography. A work dinner pulls her away again, she tells him to keep practicing, and the episode ends with the private lessons officially underway.

Who's who

• The husband: a reluctant dancer with poor footwork and a schedule suddenly full of free evenings
• The instructor: a tango pro who corrects his posture and his marriage in the same breath
• The wife: heard only on the phone, always sorry, always working late

Verdict: 5.5 out of 10

Tango is a smart choice, since the dance is already about leading, following and holding on, so the flirting has somewhere to live. Episode 1 is neat but predictable. Episode 2 earns its keep with one good scene: the wife finally attends class and admires a routine she does not realize is aimed at her marriage. Then it closes on the same private-lesson promise as before, which is a habit, not a cliffhanger. Pleasant and efficient, with one sharp idea worth seeing developed.

Episode guide